The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, September 30, 1954, Image 2

Texas A&M Newspaper Collection

The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, September 30, 1954, Image 2

Newspaper Page TextPage 2 THE BATTALION Thursday, September 30, 1954 MACHINE SHOP—The inside of the temporary mechani cal engineering shop set up after the Dec. 6, 1921, fire which destroyed the Mechanical Engineering building. The shop was set up with the equipment saved in the fire and other materials from this area. This was the old black smith shop on the east side of the Mechanical Engineer ing building. About 700 to 800 students were enrolled at the time of the fire. ^pwilip Sqm/ why do vo* oeowKA ME WITU WATTEE. -SOON Afe YO' Gif We.R.C EVER- TIME YO' Vi-SIT ME YO' 15 S'POSED TTV RESPECT YO" B»<4 BROTUER. Abl' 14OT A.C.T LUCE J - - WO AGGIE.'*•/*§>*' J /TieTgwdy, sloucmQ The Day The ME Building Burned REMAINS—This is the remains of the old Mechanical Engineering building which burn ed on Dec. 6, 1921. The building and most of the equipment and other materials were destroyed. The Electrical Engineering building and Ross hall are shown in the back ground. The blurred area in the photo is smoke. ME Building Ghosts Haunt The Construction Engineers By RALPH COLE Battalion City Editor The Mechanical Engineering building was completely destroyed after a fire broke out at 4:45 Sun day morning. This Was the talk of the campus most of |the engineering equip- sympathizer that might attempt to ment, supplies and other materials, paint the score of 7 to 3 on it. The old building was valued at He also won the place of yell $25,000 and the equipment at leader for the next year by his $75,000. The building was one of vocal demonstration in spreading the oldest on the campus at that the news of the fire. time > and college, officials had The Main building, Electrical back in 1921, when the Mechanical 136611 considering replacing the Engineering building, Mechanical Engineering building caught fire k u il c1in g' with a more modern one. Engineering building and the Tex- early Sunday, Dec. 6. The steam laboratory, a small tile Engineering building all were Now, some 33 years later, ghosts brick building adjoining the main within a 100 foot radius of the of the building are coming back to laboratory and containing most of buming structure, haunt construction engineers. the machinery and supplies used A temporary shop was set up • The foundation of the building in the instruction of seniors, was by R. W. Downard, now assistant is now being removed as construe- the only part saved. professor of mechanical engineer- tion continues on the parking lot The alarm was turned in by Ben in the old blacksmith shop West of Bagley hall. Even an old Garrity, a student living in Austin which was part of the Mechanical sulphur well, where Aggies of the hall. After the fire, he said hu- Engineering building, past got their drinking water, has morously that he had been sleeping Students and firemen fought the also been uncovered. with one eye on the water tower flame but did not reach it in time. Fire destroyed the building and to detect any State University Lack of water also hampered the — crew’s work. Students and college authorities raked through the rubble picking out all equipment that could still be used. Enough equipment was saved to set up a temporary shop for classes to continue. The new building was planned by E. J. Fermier, then head of the mechanical engineering depart ment. The approximate cost of the present building was $150,000. It was never learned what caused the fire, but it was believed faulty wiring was to blame. Foundations were never removed because of lack of money. They were covered up with gravel and the spot has been used as a park ing lot since. This summer, construction began on the lot. Storm sewers were added to take care of the excess water during severe rains. The dot had to be slanted to the drains, and this is ‘where the trou ble began. Now, the foundations have to be removed to level the lot again. The Battalion The Editorial Policy of The Battalion Represents the Views of the Student Editors The Battalion, official newspaper of the Agricultural and Mechan ical College of Texas, is published by students four times a week, during $ie regular school year. During the summer terms, and examination and vacation periods, The Battalion is published twice a week. Days of publications are Tuesday through Friday for the regular school year, and Tuesday and Thursday during examination and vacation periods and the summer terms. Subscription rates $9.00 per year or $ .75 pei aaonth. Advertising rates furnished on request. Bntered as second-class matter at Post Olfice at @ollege Station, Texas under the Act of Con- »ress of March 3, 1870. Member of The Associated Press Represented nationally by National Advertising Services, Inc., at New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Fran cisco. “ The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for republi- oation of all news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited in the paper and local news of spontaneous origin published herein. Right? of republication of all other matter herein are also reserved. * News contributions may be made by telephone (4-5444 or 4-7604) or at the editorial office room, 202 Goodwin Hall. Classified ads may be placed by telephone (4-5324) or at the Student Activities Office, Room £JD9 Goodwin Hall. BOB BORISKIE, HARR1 BAKER Co-Editors Jon Kinslow Managing Editor Jterry Wizig Sports Editor XJalph Cole, Don Shepard - News Editors Nora Burge - ... Woman’s Editor Kerstin Ekfelt.. Assistant Woman’s Editor Betsy Burchard A&M Consolidated Correspondent Maurice Olian A&M Consolidated Sports Correspondent J«hn Huber Advertising Manager tarry Lightfoot - Circulation Manager Tom' Sylcr, Russell Reed, Ken Livingston Circulation Staff SMITH & WESSON K - 22’s K - 38’s KILL CREST HARDWARE m | I IlPlII! | ^ WHAT'S LEFT—The blacksmith shop, which was on the east side of the Mechanical Engineering - building, was saved and used as a temporary shop. The shop was set up by R. W. Downard, assistant professor of mechanical en gineering. ■T HI UfTF •m m SB SSI iBk g^; sis a M mw sit lii ; Sii m m *•^nrrrrrrr —^ NEW BUILDING—This is the new Mechanical Engineer ing building, finished about 1923. The building cost ap proximately $150,000. These photos were obtained from R. W. Downard. Somebody’s Lost Their Laundry Approximately 200 unident ified bundles of laundry have been turned in since registra tion, according to Lt. Col. Tay lor Wilkins, assistant comman dant. Wilkins suggested that stu dents make sure tickets are in the laundry bag and their name and laundry mark are on the ticket before turning in their laundry. Bruce To Address Houston A&M Club General A. D. Bruce, a former Aggie who is now the president of the University of Houston, will address the Houston A&M club at its regular noon luncheon, Monday in the Rice Hotel. SINGLE ACTION COLTS A few good ones HILLCREST HARDWARE On Campus /with MaxQhuJman (Author of "Barefoot Boy With Cheek," etc.) LI’L ABNER By A1 YO'SHOULD KEEP VORE PUPPIES ON A LEASH, MA'M.V MY FIERCEST WOLVES.7-AN' HE HANDLES 'EM-LIKE THEY WAS RABBITS'/ YO AH HA I N'T NO MAN, GO MA'M. AH IS GU MERELY 15^ MA Y'ARS OLD- § P O G O By Walt Kelly wen, webU,H?i£NP5/i hops ENJOVINS THS <5AM6 WHICH IS BRUNS TO YOU BV CQURTBSY 0? MB, S&M SAM WHAT IS SeLUN’ AUMT GRANNY# BITTBR F-RiTTMS ROOT GUARA/VEgP TO HELP7HS < HELPLESS', yOUTWFUUUZis Pam’ which is mads op cALoeigs, puAve# ' jpforr woppva v' rr*$ a MEAN, OUT? AUNT.ApANNy [4# \3 sirrei? gRimg . ROOT ^ BLAST FOLK’S *■ An" rr’s ©OIN’ Gow MY COUSIN HASKELL I have a cousin named Haskell Krovney, a sweet, unspoiled country boy, who has just started college. A letter arrived from him this morning which 1 will reprint here because I know that Haskell’s problems are so much like your own. Haskell writes: Dear Haskell (he thinks my name is Haskell too), I see that you are writing a column for Philip Morris cigarettes. I think they are keen cigarettes which taste real good and which make a pleasant noise when you open the pack, and I want to tell you why I don’t smoke them. It all started the very first day I arrived at college. I had just gotten off the train and was walking across the campus, swinging my cardboard valise whistling snatches of Valencia, Barney Google, and other latest tunes, admiring statues, petting dogs and girls, when all of a sudden I ran into this fellow with a blue jacket, gray pants, and white teeth. He asked me was I a freshman. I said yes. He asked me did I want to go places on campus, make a big name for myself, and get pointed at in fashionable ballrooms and spas. I said yes. He said the only way to make all these keen things happen' was to join a fraternity. Fortunately he happened to have a pledge card on him, so ho pricked my thumb and I signed. He didn’t tell me the name of the fraternity or where it is located, but I suppose I’ll find out when I go active. Meanwhile this fellow comes around every week and collects his dues which are $100. Lately he has been collecting $10 extra each week. He says this is a fine because I missed the meeting. When I remind him that I can’t go to meetings because I don’t know where the house is, he twists my arm. J have never regretted joining the fraternity because it is my dearest wish to be somebody on campus and get pointed at in spas, bit you can see that it isn’t cheap. It wouldn’t be so bad if I slept at the house, but you must agree that I can’t very well sleep at the house if I don’t know where the house is. I have had to rent a room. This room is not only hellishly expensive, but it isn’t the kind of room I wanted at all. What I was looking for was someplace reasonably priced, clean, comfortable, and within easy walking distance of classes, the downtown shopping district, the movies, and my home town. What I found was a bedroom in the home of a local costermonger, which is dingy, expensive, uncom fortable, inconvenient, and I don’t even get to use the bed till six o’clock in the morning when my Landlord goes off to mong his costers. Well, anyhow, I got settled and started going to classes. But first J had to pay my tuition. This came to a good deal more than the advertised rates. When I asked the bursar what the extra money was for, he told me lab fees. When I said I wasn’t taking any labs, he said I was taking psychology which counted as a lab because they used white mice. When I offered to bring my own mice, of which there are plenty in my room, he twisted my arm. So I paid the man and went to my classes where I found that all my professors had spent busy summers writing brand new text books. Over to the bookstore I went, saw the prices on the text books, and collapsed in a gibbering heap. At length I recovered and made indignant demands to speak to the proprietor, but they told me the Brinks truck had already taken him home for the day. There was nothing for it but to buy the books. Next I turned to romance—and found it. Harriet, her name was—a great, strapping girl. I first spied her leaning against the statue of the Founder, dozing lightly. I talked to her for several hours without effect. Only when I mentioned dinner did she stir. Her milky little eyes opened, she raised a heavy arm, seized my nape, and dragged me off to a dimly lit place called The Trap where everything was a la carte. She ordered cracked crab ($1.75), sirloin Chateaubriand ($7.00), a scuttle of french fries (18^ the french fry), an artichoke (30b the leaf), and compote (80b fhe prune). After dinner she lapsed into a torpor from which I could not rouse her, no matter how I tried. I banged my glass with my fork. I did bird calls of North and South America. I pinched her huge pendulous jowl. I rubbed the legs of my corduroy pants together . . . But nothing worked, and finally I had to sling her over my shoulder and carry her to the girls dormitory, to the vast amusement of everybody along the route. .But it was not the jeers of bystanders that bothered me. It was the hernia. Fortunately, medical care for students is provided free at the college dispensary; all I had to pay for were a few extras, like X-rs^s, anaesthesia, operating room, forceps, hemostats, scal pels, sponges, catgut, linens, towels, amortization, and nurses. They would not, however, let me keep the nurses. So, dear, cousin, if you see me these days without a Philip Morris cigarette, it is not because I don’t like Philip Morris cigarettes. 1 do. I flip when I taste their mild rare vintage tobaccos. But I can’t afford cigarettes. I can’t even afford matches, what with fraternity dues and room rent and lab fees and textbook prices and my girl Harriet and medical care. Well, I’ll write you again soon. Keep ’em flying. Yr. Cousin, Haskell ©Max Sliulman, 1954 This column is brought to you by the makers of PHILIP MORRIS who think you would enjoy their cigarette.

Texas A&M Newspaper Collection

Texas A&M Newspaper Collection

The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, September 30, 1954, Image 2

Are you interested in including a title to our archive?

Follow us!